Resurrection
by Aquafire
Summary: Revival of an old fic of mine called Debonair Returns, pb date was 09-2001. Dedicated to hikaru29
1. Going back to the place we belong

_Two years ago, I started a story.  That was my 11th grade year.  Hadn't taken any decent story writing classes yet.  So it was very pathetic.  Very pathetic indeed… _

_  
Two years ago on the day of my birthday, I published said story.  I published it, knowing full well that with the countless stories I've written (majority, never published), I would never finish it.  Still, I wrote it.  Said story also received reviews, but the inadequacies of my writing compelled me to stop writing at chapter 3, leaving my readers in an endless cliffhanger._

More than two years after the abrupt ending, I received an e-mail notification that someone had posted a review.  'Odd,' I thought.  I read the e-mail, and sure enough, it was a review on a story I had long forgotten about.  Debonair Returns.

With hikaru_29's review, when I thought no more would come, I felt driven to completely revamp the story.  The plot would remain static, but the details would be richer, actions would have meaning.

This, the rebirth of "Debonair Returns," is entitled _Resurrection_, for more reasons than one.  

_Resurrection_ is dedicated to hikaru_29, for without her review bringing me back from writer's block (read: writing limbo), this story would forever be on a cliffie, a vague testament of my past.

Disclaimer:  I do not own _Magic Knight Rayearth_.  Everybody knows that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
_Resurrection-Prologue_

A tiny seed of doubt, the faintest shadow on the heart.  That's how it always started.  Just one day, someone would lose confidence in their own heart's will, and allow the dark poison of disbelief to being tainting the soul.  This is how She was created.

She didn't start out as a creature of nightmares.  Rather, She had been born of very humble beginnings.  One person's faith began to waver in the great Pillar System of Cephiro.  The Pillar wasn't, couldn't, be eternal, could she?  That person's loss of faith began to spread like a virus across the land.  This spawned countless monsters along the outer borders, which then required the use of soldiers to keep them away and maintain the safety of the numerous villages that dotted Cephiro's landscape.

Still, this was not Her true awakening.  Over the years, her power slowly grew as the People allowed the doubt to stain their souls, but she still remained, hidden in the shadows.

Not until the Pillar of Cephiro, Princess Emeraude, was captured by the High Priest Zagato did she truly gain her power.  The People were shaken, and their fear fed her need for doubt and self-loathing.  Calling forth the Legend of the Magic Knights, Emeraude-hime was rescued, but in a bitter twist of irony, chose to end her life to be with the one she loved, instead of being eternally chained to the Pillar System.  The shattered hope and confidence of the People of Cephiro gave Her strength, strength enough to rise up and begin to take over and destroy the land.

Through her, the girl known as Nova began her dark path of destruction.  

Nova was a creature borne of the heart of the Magic Knight of Fire in her moment of grief at playing a part in taking Emeraude-hime's life.  She was innocent, carefree, but lonely and always searching for her "mother."  Seeing her hidden power, directly linked to the power of the Magic Knight of Fire, She took Nova under her wing, figuratively adopted her, and trained her to fight, kill, and instill fear into the hearts of the People.  Through this, She gained even more power than before.

All that changed however.  The Magic Knights returned with the power of their wills and hearts, and that Magic Knight of Fire not only destroyed her creation, Regalia, and turned her own adoptive daughter against her, but stopped her plan and very nearly destroyed her in the process!

"The believing heart of the people.  Damn you… Magic… Knights!!!:

She was so close!  So close to destroying all of Cephiro and the world that Emeraude-Hime cherished!  How She hated that girl!  Her and her accursed Magic Knights!

But now, now Her ultimate plan has begun.  Now, she will gain the limitless power of the Pillar!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Yes, short, I know.  I have half of chapter 1 done already, so expect that in a few days!!  No, I will not let this fic stagnate like _Debonair Returns_, and I _will_ finish it this time!


	2. Reunion with the ones we love

I apologize for the wait, minna-san.  I got caught up in many personal issues lately, and I haven't felt very inspired.  Hikaru_29 brought me out of my reverie (again ^^; ), and for your reading pleasure, here is _Resurrection_, Chapter 2.

Disclaimer applies

~*~*~*~*~*~

"I want to see you again," a 15 year old girl whispered, clutching a pendant in her hands tightly.  Her firey red hair swung about behind her as she walked to the bus stop that would take her to Tokyo Tower.  She glanced up at the cerulean sky, shielding her eyes slightly from the glare from the summer sun.

So much had happened in such a short amount of time… her friends at school were awesome, but Shidou Hikaru never felt truly connected to them anymore.  Not after Cephiro.  In her heart, in her soul, she only clicked with two other girls now.  

Her brothers had never understood what had wrought the sudden change in her personality.  Before their second trip back to Cephiro, she had been depressed, dark, dreary, the death of Emeraude-hime weighing heavy on her heart.  Before that, she had been happy.  Some would've described her more aptly as innocent and carefree.  Now however, she knew that she had faced her doubts, her fears, her sorrow, and came out stronger in the end.  She was cheerful again, but she knew there was another side to the light.

Sighing, she remembered her last moments in that magical land, her hand outstretched, reaching for the one she loved, and just making it.  She left with a smile on her face, knowing that she would meet the Master Swordsman again someday.

Checking her watch, sue suddenly realized something.

"AIII!!  I'm going to be late!!" she cried, quickly tucking the pendant back underneath her school uniform and dashing off to catch the bus that would take her to Tokyo Tower.

~*~*~

"Hikaru, you're late again!" yelled a blue-haired girl as Hikaru exited the elevator, panting heavily at running from the bus stop to the elevator's rapidly closing doors.  Her long trusses were done up in a ponytail, and yet it still reached to her waist.  Piercing blue eyes the color of the sea glared at the red head.  Ryuuzaki Umi never liked having to wait, and on a hot day such as today, her aggravation was evident.

"Gomen nasai, Umi-chan," Hikaru huffed out, bent over, trying to catch her breath.  "Hikari wanted me to walk him, then my brothers had me doing some chores I could've sworn I had done already!"

"Daijoubu Hikaru-san," a short blond-haired girl giggled.  Hououji Fuu was used to this by now.  She gave Hikaru a reassuring smile.  "Actually, we have not been waiting for very long.  At the most, it has been 10 minutes.  Umi-san just got a little annoyed because a young boy thought her hair would be fun to swing from."  Umi fumed, but in the next moments, all three girls burst out laughing hysterically. 

After this good laugh, the girls walked up to the giant bay windows that surrounded the viewing deck of the tower.  Gazing thoughtfully over the city, Hikaru gave a smile.

"It has been over a year now since that time," Fuu said thoughtfully, turning to Hikaru and Umi."

"We were junior-high school girls who went to another world.  Twice!"  Umi said with a smile.  The other two girls broke out laughing.  Hikaru turned to the windows again, and was astonished at what she saw. 

"LOOK!" she cried, pointing up at the sky.  The other two girls turned, and saw Cephiro laid out in the sky like a mirage.

"So pretty," Umi said in awe.

"They were able to create a beautiful, peaceful world without a Pillar," Fuu said admirably.

"With everyone pooling their strength together, right?" Umi asked.

"I want to go to Cephiro one more time," Hikaru affirmed.  But this time, it's not out of regret."  She reached down and pulled the pendant out from underneath her shirt.  "But to learn the story of the new Cephiro!"

Suddenly, that now-familiar flash of yellow light engulfed the girls, but this time, they were not afraid or filled with regrets.  The embraced the light as they disappeared from Tokyo Tower.

~*~*~

Falling toward the magical land of Cephiro, Umi gasped.  They were freefalling.  AGAIN!!

"Aaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!" the three of them cried out, but with a _whoosh_, a giant fish caught them in mid-fall.  It flapped its wings happily and gurgled a sound of pleasure at seeing the three girls again

"Fyula!!" Hikaru cried, embracing the giant fish and going neko-chibi in the process.

"Where do you think Fyula's taking us?" Fuu asked, settling her skirt neatly.  Umi shrugged, but then noticed something in the distance.

"It's Cephiro Castle!" she cried, pointing to the three dazzling white spires that seemed to pierce the sky.  Laughing in pleasure and mirth, the girls enjoyed the swiftness of Fyula's smooth wings of flight.

Even from a distance, Hikaru could see a small crowd awaiting their arrival.  With a gentle swoop, Fyula landed gently on a platform that jutted out from the center spire of Cephiro Castle.  The small crowd turned into a mob as all the well-wishers rushed forward to greet the Magic Knights.

"Oneechan!!" cried an 8-year old, brown haired girl who gathered Hikaru into a monstrous little hug.  Hikaru laughed.

"Ohayou Mei-chan," Hikaru giggled, tickling the little girl and causing her to explode in peals of laughter.  Hikaru looked up when she felt _his _eyes on her.  Looking deep into the eyes of the man she touched only in her dreams, she gave him her most dazzling smile.  Almost imperceptibly, she saw his mouth curl up into a slight smile in reply.

Hikaru put Mei down and walked up to Lantis timidly.  In her dreams, she had imagined this moment, but now that it had arrived, all she could do was smile.  Luckily, she didn't have to do anymore, for Lantis knelt down and swept her into a loving embrace.  She could hear him whisper her name over and over, as well as saying, "welcome back".   Hikaru could feel him running his hand through her hair, ruffling it, then settling it down again, as if to prove to himself that she was real, tangible, and not a part of his dream world as he had so often felt.

With the strongest will in the land, Hikaru felt that the world seemed to be a brighter place after this moment.  

Until Primera decided to butt in.

"Let go of MY LANTIS!!" she cried, trying in vain to pull Hikaru away by her ponytail.  Hikaru couldn't help but to smile.  It was a wonderful day indeed.

~*~

Umi stood next to Fyula, dumbstruck.  The man she thought she loved, the Master Mage of Cephiro, was much different than what she had remembered.   His lavender hair was still the same, but one lock of it was much longer than the rest of his hair.  He was taller as well, while his face was a little narrower.  By Selece, he was now taller than her!  He had grown up, despite being over 700 years old.  Presea stood by his side, her arm entwined in his.  She could see a gold ring glinting on Presea's left hand.  Seeing this, Umi's heart gave a lurch, but she hid this with a smile and walked up to them.

"Welcome back Umi-san," Clef said, smiling.  Umi mentally cringed.  He was too polite, too cordial.  He was different now, and she knew she never had a chance.  Even through heartbreak however, life must go on.

"Umi!" Presea cried, breaking from her armlock with Clef to run towards her.

"Presea!"  Umi cried, pulling the older woman into a hug.  Presea smiled.  This was the Magic Knight of Water that she remembered.   Umi pulled back.  "For how long?"  
  
"Right after you girls left us the second time, but I'll fill you all in later," Presea winked. Umi smiled.

"Welcome back Umi-chan!"  Ascot cried out from somewhere behind the crowd.  Umi mentally dropped her mouth.  Ascot was a hunk now!  Ditching his old billowy summoner's robes, he had opted for darker-green robes, with lighter green highlights.  Gold fabric lined the edges of the sleeveless shirt, which reached to his ankles but split from his waist down.  He wore dark green, nearly black pants that extended to his black boots.

"It's good to be back," Umi replied, giving Ascot a dazzling smile.

~*~

Fuu could barely help but to stare.  Ferio stood in front of her, smiling that soft smile he had only for her.  His muscles seemed even more defined as ever, and Fuu felt a little flustered as she noticed this even through his prince garb.  She could only stand like a statue as he walked up to her and pulled her into a hug, which after overcoming a moment of shock, returned.

"I'm never letting you go again, Fuu," Ferio whispered so that she could only hear.  He breathed in her scent, stroked her fine, soft hair, and knew.  He would never consider anyone else but her in his heart for as long as he lived.

~*~

"So she is finally back," Debonair crowed.  Those random monster attacks throughout the land had instilled fear into the people, just enough to give her a tangible body again.  She flexed her claws.  Very soon, her plan would come to fruition, and she would control the fates of those pitiful people once again. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Aaannnddd the plot thickens.  If all goes well, I should have the 3rd chapter up by Friday next week. 


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